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Fsamâng
Fsamâng was built by an unknown tribe long ago, and was already in ruins when the Foalaw migrated into the area uncounted generations ago. It is now the largest city in Guteng, populated mainly by the partially assimilated Foalaw and a tiny minority of colonists which rules the city. As the closest colonial settlement to the Feh Lan Forest, Fsamâng suffers from frequent Peziga attacks; it has been sacked by that tribe's warriors three times in the last 30 years. Appearance From a distance, Fsamâng seems to be nothing more than a low hill surrounded by fields of pineapples, with a few scattered buildings under a pall of smoke. This is because the city ruins are almost entirely covered with centuries of jungle growth. Closer up, visitors quickly notice the thousands of natives coming and going from the city in the hustle and bustle of commerce and daily life. For many, it's not until they approach quite close to the city gates that they realize the hill is actually a collection of crumbling stone buildings covered in tangled vines and other greenery. Almost all of these buildings are occupied by the natives, with only a handful - generally those on the highest perches and with the most commanding views of the countryside - occupied by lighter-skinned colonials. History Even as construction began on Turosebimi, the next wave of colonists pushed further inland, and, supported by Turlonan troops, established numerous small settlements across the Plains of Guteng before stumbling across a sizeable native population living amid the ruins of an existing city at the edge of a river. With a ready-made (if somewhat dilapidated) settlement at hand, the colonials selected the newly christened Fsamâng as their new home, and with the help of a division of armored infantry, moved right in. The native Foalaw objected strenuously and violently, but after countless losing battles with the colonial forces, the tribe eventually decided that they were better off embracing their conquerors. As a result of its rocky beginnings, Fsamâng's history is fraught with racial tension. The colonials have oppressed the local tribes time and again, and time and again the natives have revolted and been beaten down. Although they have gradually come not only to accept their foreign overlords, but to emulate them, the natives still harbor great resentment, and when the Peziga attack, many of the Foalaw take up arms and join the attackers - though a surprising number still fight and die beside the colonials. With the loss of military support from Turlona, however, the task of defending Fsamâng from such attacks - and continuing to subjugate and assimilate the native population - has become a challenge for the colonials. Angry confrontations between colonial landowners and their native workers have become more common, and it is only a matter of time before the Fsamâng militia will be too small and weak to quell the next uprising or attack. Society Despite the cultural integration of the local native population and the relative speed with which they've adapted to colonial standards and ideals, the Turlonan sense of racial superiority runs deep in Fsamâng, and the handful of colonists who govern the natives cannot quite bring themselves to actually treat the native citizens as equals. Consequently, even the best-regarded natives still feel some degree of oppression, creating a source of constant friction. Meanwhile, Fsamâng is a militarized town. Dealing with frequent attacks by the more violent natives to the south - particularly the armies of Peziga tribe - the citizens of Fsamâng, native and colonial alike, have had to band together to defend their city multiple times. Every ablebodied man, woman, and teenager takes part in weapons training and emergency drills on a regular basis, in addition to the efforts of the actual militia. Unlike in Turosebimi, only a handful of the armed forces are colonials; even the officers are often integrated Foalaw - including Commander Kel Wafa, a Foalaw who has risen through the ranks to the position of Praetor of Fsamâng. The city is still governed by a Turlonan colonial, however: General Alphonso Saralon is Joah Gessini's appointee to the post. The Foalaw and other natives generally welcome visitors from outside Guteng. They readily hire out their services as guides, porters, and sometimes even mercenaries; adventurers usually treat them better than the colonials, and the tribesfolk themselves are not immune to the call of high adventure. This is not to say that the natives do not try to take advantage of the newcomers' inexperience, however; every beggar on the street has an ancient map for sale. Resources Fsamâng is most famous for pineapples and dates, grown in fields outside the city, and cattle raised on ranches all over the surrounding countryside. The Foalaw also do a great deal of fishing in the Guteng River, but natural hazards (such as hippopotamuses and crocodiles) make it difficult to provide more than a subsistence supply. Though their main exports to Turosebimi and the rest of the world are agricultural, the Foalaw often trade with the Yongali, offering steel arrow- and spearheads, as well as fine cloth, in exchange for antelope meat and elephant ivory. Sites of Interest With broad plazas full of market stalls in the midst of crumbling buildings, Fsamâng is a fascinating place to visit, but two locations draw particular interest: Fort Rizado, the center of the colonial influence in the city; and the Ruins of Fsamâng. Category:Locations Category:Locations in Guteng Category:Locations in the Sabo Jungles Category:Settlements Category:Small Cities Category:Settlements in the Sabo Jungles